Live Blog - Libya Feb 25

[Photo: Reuters]

(All times are local in Libya GMT+2)

February 25, 2011

2:19pm Nato secretary-general Anders Fogh Rasmussen says a no-fly zone over Libya has not been discussed yet.

"Such a far reaching approach would require a very clear international legitimacy and in particular a United Nations mandate," Rasmussen told a news conference on Friday.

2:00pm Libyan state TV broadcasts a sermon from Friday prayers in which the imam says:

"Those who call for chaos will not be forgiven on the Day of Judgment. Stay away from internal fighting. We have to stay away from any evil and wrong doing. Whoever disobeys the ruler is disobeying God. We have to stay away from incitement work for unity."

1:31pm All diplomats at the Libyan embassy in New Delhi, India have now defected, Prerna Suri, Al Jazeera's correspondent in India reports.

1:25pm Security forces are deployed around mosques in the Libyan capital, Tripoli, fearing protests when Friday prayers end shortly, Al Jazeera Arabic reports.

12:55pm We have more information on the evacuations of British citizens from Libya. The UK foreign office says:

"The security and wellbeing of British nationals is our absolute priority. We are doing all we can to get them out of Libya, drawing on both military and commercial assets, as well as working with international partners. Our priority is ensuring British nationals can leave Libya as quickly and as safely as soon as possible."

12:46pm Al Jazeera Arabic has an exclusive with the man accused by the Libyan government of leading an Islamist emirate in Derna, Libya. The man, Abdul Hakeem Al Hasadi, denied the accusations and said he is a former political prisoner.

“I am, Abdul Hakeem Al Hasadi, a Libyan citizen and a former political prisoner. I would like to read the following statement in response to lies made by Dictator Gaddafi and his propaganda machine. I tell them that I am one of the participants in the revolution of Feb 17th along with the youth and people of Derna against the corrupt regime of Gaddafi.

"Gaddafi is trying to divide the people of the nation. He claims that there is an Islamist Emirate in Derna and that I am its Emir. He is taking advantage from the fact that I am a former political prisoner."

12:43pm The UN's World Food Programme says Libya's food supply chain is at risk of collapsing, as imports are not reaching ports and distribution around the country is reportedly hampered by violence.

12:33pm Italy is reportedly planning a "military operation" to rescue Italian nations stranded in Libya, Ignazio La Russia, the Italian defence minister, told the SkyTG24 news channel.

12:30pm The AFP news agency reports anti-government protesters calling themselves "children of the revolution" have occupied Libya's embassy in Paris.

French police were reportedly stationed outside the embassy, preventing anyone else gaining access, including those wishing to bring the protesters food.

12:20pm Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, one of the Libyan leader's sons, has reportedly told CNN-Turk that his family plans to live and die in Libya. The excerpt appeared online ahead of the full broadcast at 11GMT on Friday.

"Plan A is to live and die in Libya, Plan B is to live and die in Libya, Plan C is to live and die in Libya."

11:43am Charlie Beckett of POLIS, a journalism and society think-tank, says Al Jazeera is leading the citizen media revolution, and he cites our coverage in Libya.

11:27am Al Jazeera Arabic has learned that intensive discussions are under way between defected Libyan political leaders, including ambassadors and ministers who have stepped down, to form a political body to lead the country.

11:00am Sky News reports that the UK government allegedly paid Libyan officials to facilitate the evacuation of British citizens.

10:50am If you've ever wondered why Libyan protesters have been waving a red, black and green flag with a star and crescent instead of the plain green flag you may be looking for, wonder no more. Al Jazeera web journalist Asad Hashim explains it all here.

URL du live: http://blogs.aljazeera.net/africa/2011/02/24/live-blog-libya-feb-25